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Port St. Lucie private Christian school in default of Marketplace's breach of contract suit

In nearly 30 stories, TCPalm has documented his violent criminal history and myriad wrongdoing that's toppled the once-respected school. (Scroll down for links).

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A court has ruled a defunct Port St. Lucie private Christian school is in default for nearly $2 million in unpaid rent because no representative responded to a lawsuit against it.

Mike Woodbury, the registered agent and former CEO and board president of Barnabas/The Nation Christian Academy, closed the 22-year-old school in April, a month after the Marketplace at Port St. Lucie's new owner sought its eviction.

Although the May 2 lawsuit summons states a response must be filed with the court, Woodbury emailed the law firm representing the property owner the day after receiving it, he told TCPalm Friday. In his May 3 email, which he forwarded to TCPalm, he explained he had dissolved the school and attached state records as proof.

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The Nation Christian Academy on Thursday(Photo: Will Greenlee)

The summons was addressed to Woodbury and served at his Islandia oceanfront condo in Jensen Beach, but was given to Liz Bell, the former school director who court records say is his housemate.

The court can issue a default judgment when a defendant does not respond after being notified of a lawsuit via court-issued summons. Being served starts a countdown on how long the defendant has to file a response — in this case, 20 days.

The court entered the default judgment May 24.

Who is liable?

The dissolution does not absolve the school of liability, but it does complicate how the landlord might recoup its rent and other damages, said Jeffrey Davis, professor of law at University of Florida’s Levin College of Law.

“Usually (a default judgment) means that the defaulting defendant is liable for the entire amount sought in the complaint,” Davis said. “The tricky part is collecting."

A dissolved corporation's assets typically are liquidated and distributed to creditors, and the landlord makes a claim to whomever is distributing the assets, Davis explained.

The school's assets were locked in the storefront March 2, the day after the school vacated the premises, according to court papers that reference only laptops and office and sports equipment that were turned over to DTS Properties.

DTS Properties filed for eviction in January and said the school owed $132,000 in rent. The Illinois company later filed the breach of contract lawsuit for the remaining balance on the rent, plus damages.